Free of charge

Corn: Weather conditions could affect the time of sowing

March 21, 2018 at 5:47 PM , Starry Night Ltd.
Play report as audio

SOFIA. Price levels have stubbornly traced an upward trend. Weather conditions could postpone sowing.

BULGARIA. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the average purchasing price of corn has reached 0.142 EUR/kg EXW Bulgaria. For comparison, at that time last year, average purchasing monthly prices stood at 0.154 EUR/kg EXW Bulgaria. Prices have definitely traced an increasing trajectory since the beginning of the marketing season, even on the background of tough regional competition, but the ascending trend has not been steep; instead, the minor gains have been incremental. However, any value added has been stubbornly preserved and passed over to the next month.

Corn: strong local demand reaches higher levels

Domestic demand has been persistently on the rise since the start of the marketing season. By the end of last week, according to local authorities, local consumption came to 705,000 mt, which on a year-to-year basis is by close to 20% higher than demand by that time last year. Whenever the dynamics on the wheat export market have been strong, local processing plants turn to corn. The greatest share of local consumption goes to the livestock sector, as currently, demand leads that of last year by 19.51%. The trend is expected to continue.

       Harvest 2017-18

(01.09.2017 - 16.03.2018)

          units in MT

Beginning availability

580,000

Aggregate output

2,315,387

Imports

10,460

Domestic consumption

705,000

   food & industrial usage

270,000

   Feed

435,000

Exports to the world

792,673

   to EU markets

   672,857

   to rest of the world

   119,816

Source: Bulgarian Ministry of Agriculture

Weather conditions will most probably postpone sowing

The plentiful supply of moisture in fields, as well as drastic shifts in temperatures, makes it impossible for farmers to start sowing. Farmers within the Northeast region, plan to start sowing in the first week of April; yet, they could postpone their plans, provided the weather is not favorable, as farmers in other regions already did. If the grain is not sowed during its optimal period, yield will definitely be affected.

View related articles

Go to the News Overview
Grains
Oct 29, 2025
KYIV/DALIAN. Ukrainian farmers have harvested around 60% less millet than at this time last year. Shipments to the EU have also fallen by 24%.
Grains
Oct 29, 2025
DALIAN/MOSCOW. The availability of the new crop is stabilising supply on the Chinese market. Ukrainian farmers have still not completed the harvest. Russia's crop is expected to fall to a 20-year low.
Organic Commodities
Oct 15, 2025
BUENOS AIRES/NEW DELHI. Crop damage in South America is forcing buyers to look for alternative countries of origin. India appears to be the logical choice.
Grains
Oct 8, 2025
DALIAN/KYIV. In China, the new crop has recently become available on the market. Ukrainian farmers have completed more than 70% of the harvest. EU countries have more than doubled their buckwheat imports.